popolysaccharide (LPS) induces endothelial damage as shown by the currence of hemorrhages in the kidneys in the Schwartzman phenomenon. It s been assumed that glomerular necrosis occurred in response to a primary travascular coagulation via mediators released by leucocytes. In the esent work, lipopolysaccharide from E. coli was administered to cultured omerular endothelial cells and compared to bovine aortic endothelial and man umbilical venous cells. LPS induced a dose-dependent detachment of merular endothelial cells in vitro, whereas human umbilical venous cells re unaffected. This effect occurred in the absence of complement or ucocytes.